Abu Dhabi: The foreign ministers of the UAE, Jordan, Türkiye, Egypt, Indonesia, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar have condemned settlers’ incursions into Al‑Aqsa Mosque.
The ministers condemned the repeated violations of the historic and legal status quo in Jerusalem’s Islamic and Christian holy sites by the Israeli occupation authorities, particularly the continued incursions by Israeli settlers and extremist ministers into Al‑Aqsa Mosque / Al‑Haram Al‑Sharif under Israeli police protection, as well as the raising of the Israeli flag within its courtyards.
They reiterated that these provocative actions at Al‑Aqsa Mosque / Al‑Haram Al‑Sharif constitute a flagrant violation of international law and international humanitarian law, represent an unacceptable provocation to Muslims around the world, and constitute a grave violation of the sanctity of the holy city.
The ministers reaffirmed their categorical rejection of any attempts to alter the historic and legal status quo in Jerusalem and its Islamic and Christian holy sites, and stressed the need to preserve it, while recognising the special role of the historic Hashemite custodianship in this regard. They reiterated that the entire area of Al‑Aqsa Mosque / Al‑Haram Al‑Sharif, which amounts to 144 dunams, is a place of worship exclusively for Muslims, and that the Jerusalem Endowments and Al‑Aqsa Mosque Affairs Department, affiliated with the Jordanian Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs, is the sole legal entity with exclusive jurisdiction to administer the affairs of the blessed Al‑Aqsa Mosque / Al‑Haram Al‑Sharif and regulate entry thereto.
The ministers further condemned the accelerating illegal settlement activity, including Israel’s decision to approve more than 30 new settlements, which constitutes a flagrant violation of international law, including United Nations Security Council resolutions and the 2024 advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice. They also condemned the continued and escalating settler violence against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, including recent attacks on Palestinian schools and children, and called for those responsible to be held accountable. They emphasised that Israel has no sovereignty over the Occupied Palestinian Territory and categorically rejected any attempts to annex the territory or displace the Palestinian people.
The ministers stressed that such actions constitute a deliberate and direct attack on the viability of the Palestinian State and the implementation of the two‑State solution, increase tensions, undermine peace efforts, and hinder ongoing initiatives aimed at de‑escalation and the restoration of stability.
They reiterated their call on the international community to uphold its legal and moral responsibilities and compel Israel to halt its dangerous escalation in the occupied West Bank and put an end to its illegal practices.
The ministers also called on the international community to assume its responsibilities and take clear and decisive steps to halt these violations, and to intensify all regional and international efforts to advance a political solution that achieves a comprehensive peace based on the two‑State solution. They reiterated their unwavering support for the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, particularly their right to self‑determination and to realise an independent Palestinian state along the June 4, 1967 lines, with East Jerusalem as its capital.